A Character Interview with Jessica from PASSPORT TO HAPPINESS plus a conversation with author Debbie White!

Today
we're bringing something different to Writing in the Modern Age in the
form of a character interview. These character interviews, now and in the
future, should prove to be very enlightening for all of us. We have the pleasure of meeting Jessica, a character from Passport to Happiness. We'll get a chance to talk to the author, Debbie White, in a bit, but now we have on the stage...Jessica!Interview

Marie Lavender: Hello, Jessica. Please have a seat.Character Jessica: Thank you. It's a pleasure to be here.Marie: We're going to start out with some simple questions, okay?Jessica:
Sure.

Marie: So, what is your occupation? Are you any good at it? Do you
like it?

Jessica: I’m a
cultural specialist with the State Department. I’m very good at it. I love to
interact with different cultures. When I can teach something useful, or give
advice on how to accomplish something – especially in a country that is poor,
it gives me great satisfaction.

Marie: Great! So, what is your family like?

Jessica: My family
consists of my mom and a crazy Uncle. My dad left the house when I was young.
Mom had it tough, but she did a pretty good job, if I say so myself.

Marie: What did your childhood home look like, Jessica?

Jessica: It was a
typical farmhouse with a front porch. The boards to the porch creaked, and the
paint was chipping. Mom didn’t have the funds to keep up the maintenance.

Marie: Do you
have any hobbies? What do you enjoy doing?

Jessica: Yes,
reading is my number one hobby. As a kid I’d sit under the big oak tree, now I
read anywhere.

Marie: Me too!

Jessica, I'm going to ask you some more serious questions now.

What
is your greatest dream?

Jessica: I’m living
it. I wanted to travel the world.

Marie: That's awesome!

What
kind of person do you wish you could be? What is stopping you?

Jessica: I’m happy with who I am. Life couldn’t get any better for
me. I wake up each morning and have to pinch myself to make sure it’s all real.

Marie: I'm so happy for you! :)

So...who was your first love?

Jessica:Do we really have to discuss this?
Okay. I guess I can say. It wasJosh – a
boy I grew up with. We had a lot of dreams together too. That’s all I really
want to say about him. We’ve moved on.

Marie: What is
the most terrible thing that ever happened to you?

Jessica: Well, it
had something to do with my crazy Uncle. I don’t really want to go into
details. But let’s just say, it could have been worse had I not gotten out of
the house when I did.

Marie:So sorry to hear that.

Let's try something else, Jessica.

So,
what was your dream growing up? Did you achieve that dream? If so, in
what ways was it not what you expected? If you never achieved the dream,
why not?

Jessica: Oh, I’m
definitely living my dream. I wanted to travel and explore new places. I’ve
developed the most wonderful friendships too. It’s more than I expected.

Marie: Who is your role model?

Jessica: My
mom. As a single parent, she had it tough. She taught me great lessons, and I
practice them each day.

Marie: Is
there someone you pretend to like but really dislike?

Jessica: I
dislike my Uncle, and for a long time, Josh. I’m so over all of that. No one
can stop me from being the person I want to be. That’s their issue, not mine.

Marie:
So, what is your deepest desire?

Jessica: To live
happily ever after. I know life throws us curve balls though so I’m ready. I’ve
had a few challenges already.

Marie: What
is your greatest fear?

Jessica: Not living
happily ever after and I dread the day I lose momma.

Marie: All right.

Unfortunately, that's the buzzer telling me we're short on time. I want to thank you for visiting us today, Jessica.

Jessica: My pleasure.

Marie: It was so interesting getting to know you. (Waves at her guest as she heads off the stage.)

Now, let's shift over and get the perspective of the author. We have Debbie White on the stage today! Hi!

Author Debbie White: Hi,
it's so nice to be here.

Marie:
We
just got to talk the heroine of your story, Jessica. Quite an interesting character.

Can you tell us a little about her?

Debbie:Growing up
Jessica loved to read and found it allowed her forget about her loneliness. She
was a typical youngster riding her bike and playing with friends. But it was a
lonely life and she had bigger aspirations.

Marie: So, what are your character's greatest strengths?

Debbie: Independence for one. Not many young high school
graduates sign up for travel to far away palaces. She is also courageous, kind,
thoughtful and smart.

Marie: That is pretty awesome! What
are her greatest weaknesses?

Debbie: Probably a
bit naïve. But she finds a way to handle that weakness.

Marie: What
are some of her favorite foods?

Debbie: She loves country down home cooking. Her mom makes
the best fried chicken. She also loves to experiment with foods from the places
she visits, and she is not afraid to try new things.

Marie: What's a positive quality that your character is unaware that he or she has?

Debbie: Probably perseverance. She just
does. Each step takes her closer to her goal. It’s lovely to watch her grow up.

Marie: Will readers like or dislike this character, and why?

Debbie: I hope they like her. She’s such a sweet kid. She’s not had
it easy, but she never uses it as a crutch; instead she buckles down and finds a
way out of poverty. I think her perseverance is commendable.

Marie: I agree! She does sound amazing.

Well, now that we have a real taste of Jessica, we have a few questions for you as well as the author.

What first gave you the idea for Passport to Happiness?

Debbie: I’ve done quite a bit of traveling myself. My dad and my
husband both served in the U.S. Air Force. My daughter works for the State
Department, but in another department than Jessica. I decided to meld some of
my great travel stories, embellish others and hopefully come up with a sweet
romance.My daughter is a single parent
and I know how tough it can be. She’s a wonderful mom, though, and my
granddaughters are smart and independent just like we raised their mom!

Marie: That's great!

What is your writing style like? Are you a pantster or a plotter?

Debbie: I’m a panster. I’ll have an idea, but I never really know
where the story is going to take me. Sometimes it even surprises me!

Marie: I hear you on that one. That happens to me quite often.

So...I’m throwing this one in for our
aspiring writers. Did you come across
any specific challenges in writing Passport to Happiness or getting it published? What would you do differently the next time?

Debbie: I’m self-published so that part is not too difficult. The
marketing is the hard part. I love writing. I just keep plucking away at the
keys and maybe…just maybe, one of my books will be a best seller.

Marie: I agree; the marketing is challenging. But you are right. We have to stay positive in this business. And based on your current books, I'm sure you'll make it there. Probably soon! ;)

Well,
it was such a pleasure having you here on Writing in the Modern Age. We hope you can come back sometime.

Readers, you will just have to pick up a copy of this awesome book!

Here is the blurb for Passport to Happiness.

To escape the often lonely and boring reality of living in a small rural
town, Jessica finds comfort in reading about the many places that exist
beyond her small corner of the earth. When she joins the State
Department and travels abroad looking for adventure, she gets more than
she imagined was ever possible. Passport to happiness is a story of
strength and determination, while exploring new places, but it’s also
about finding love and happiness – no matter where you hang your hat.

Debbie
currently resides in beautiful Sonoma County, California, where the jagged
Pacific coastline meets the rolling hills cascading with vineyards. She writes romance novellas that feature
strong, independent women, who when faced with adversity, or tragedy, fine
strength and overcome the perils that stand in their way. She’s an avid supporter of animal rescue, and
happily donates a portion of sales from her books to rescue organizations. She has two adult children, and two
granddaughters. In her spare time, she
loves to garden, travel; enjoy family, and her beloved rescue dogs, Dash and
Briar. Her real passion, of course, is writing, and she uses her 20+ years as a
military wife as inspiration for her stories. The Salty Dog is her second
endeavor, and takes places in Bodega, a small fishing community she has the
pleasure of visiting often. Her current
release, Passport to Happiness, is about a small town girl who travels to
foreign places, another area she has experience.

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